Columns

By Congressman Robert Hurt
As I travel the Fifth District listening to those I represent, it is clear to me that Virginians recognize that the status quo is unsustainable. Our nation has borrowed $18 trillion, and Washington continues to borrow nearly 20 cents on every dollar it spends. Parents are gravely concerned about the impact of our national debt on their children’s futures.

Some have called it a “well-intentioned flop” while others say it’s an anti-competitive government mandate, but whatever you call the ethanol mandate, or Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), it’s clear this policy has caused many negative consequences for American consumers.

Last week, the General Assembly was in full swing as we approached the midway point of the 2015 session. Both the House and Senate must complete their work on legislation before “crossover” on February 10. After that, we will begin work on legislation sent over from the other Chamber.

This weekend the Senate Finance Committee released their new state budget. The measure was presented to the sub-committee chairmen and approved by the full Senate Finance Committee on which I am honored to serve. It represents the Commonwealth’s budget for the next two years.

“What Do I Think?” the writer asked last week regarding our, “Quaint little town of Bedford”. She implied the town needed more entertainment. We’ve lived here 10 years so we can at least partly answer her question.

For most people, President Obama’s speech at the National Prayer Breakfast was a historically accurate attempt to make a simple, basic point: Any religion can be twisted and distorted to justify evil.
“Any religion,” of course, is a phrase that must necessarily include Christianity. Sadly, there are certain self-styled Christians who – in the popular phrase from film - “can’t handle the truth.”

The community is taking a fruitful step forward as it implements changes to the Bedford Farmers Market.
The changes should yield a good harvest for both area farmers and their customers.
The proposed changes are the result of community meetings and a management team overseeing the transition of the market.